Essentials in Church History / A History of the Church from the Birth of Joseph Smith to the Present Time (1922), with Introductory Chapters on the Antiquity of the Gospel and the "Falling Away"

by Joseph Fielding Smith

Later Hand-Cart Immigration

Other companies with hand-carts crossed the plains in subsequent years. And from the Salt Lake Valley missionaries employed hand-carts to help them to their distant fields of labor. Never again, however, was a condition permitted to arise such as that which overtook the companies under Captains Willie and Martin in the fall of 1856.

The Passing of Prominent Men

During the period covered in this chapter, several prominent elders of the Church passed away. Oliver Cowdery, who at the incipiency of the work, stood with the Prophet Joseph Smith as the second elder of the Church, and who, with the Prophet, held the keys of this dispensation, as they were received from holy angels, passed away. He died March 3, 1850, at Richmond, Missouri. Only a few months before his death [See Chap. 41] he returned to the Church after an alienation of several years. Presiding Bishop Newel K. Whitney, who was also among the first to embrace the Gospel, died in Salt Lake City, October 13, 1850. He joined the Church in Kirtland in 1831, and passed through the trying scenes of Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. He was ordained to be the second bishop of the Church, and after the death of Edward Partridge, was sustained as the presiding bishop. In 1848 he led a company of immigrants to the Salt Lake Valley. Two of his sons, Horace K. and Orson K., were members of the pioneer band, but their father remained at Winter Quarters, where his services were required during those trying times. He was succeeded as presiding bishop by Edward Hunter in 1851.

March 11, 1854, Willard Richards, second counselor to President Brigham Young, died in Salt Lake City. He was born in Massachusetts, in 1804, and was baptized by Brigham Young, December 31, 1836. The following year he accompanied Elder Heber C. Kimball and others to England and assisted in the opening of that mission. After his companions returned, he remained as one of the presidency of the British Mission, in which capacity he was laboring when the apostles went to that land. Having been called to the apostleship, he was ordained in Preston, England, by President Brigham Young and other members of the council of the apostles, April 14, 1840. He returned to the United States in 1841, and became the private secretary to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and was with him in Carthage prison at the time of the martyrdom. From 1842 until his death he was Church historian and recorder and at the reorganization of the First Presidency, was selected by President Young as his second counselor. In this position he was succeeded by Elder Jedediah M. Grant, and as historian, by Elder George A. Smith.

“Uncle” John Smith, the presiding patriarch of the Church, died in Salt Lake City, May 23, 1854. He was a man of tried integrity and had served in the councils of the Church from the time of his baptism until his death. He was among the first of the Prophet’s relatives to receive the truth and through his influence others were converted. He was succeeded in the office of patriarch, by John Smith, eldest son of the Patriarch Hyrum Smith.

Elder Orson Spencer, a man of superior education, who served the Church faithfully and well as a missionary for many years, was called to the other side of the veil, October 15, 1855, while at St. Louis. He had presided in the British Mission during one of the critical periods in that land.

Jedediah M. Grant, second counselor to President Brigham Young, died in Salt Lake City, December 1, 1856, after a brief illness. He was a young man of forceful character and had been identified with the Church since 1833. He was a member of Zion’s Camp in 1834; was chosen among the first seventies, and in that calling filled a number of successful missions throughout the United States. He passed through the persecutions of Missouri and Illinois, and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, in charge of the last company to cross the plains in 1847. He was the first mayor of Salt Lake City, and when he was called to be a counselor to President Young, was serving as one of the first council of the seventies. He was succeeded as a counselor in the First Presidency by Elder Daniel H. Wells.

The Assassination of Parley P. Pratt

Another death, occurring May 13, 1857, was that of Elder Parley P. Pratt of the council of the twelve. In the autumn of 1856, Elder Pratt left Salt Lake City with a company of missionaries, and crossed the plains. That winter he labored in St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York and other cities in the East. In the spring of 1857, he was in Arkansas. While there he attempted to assist a Mrs. Hector H. McLean, who was a member of the Church, to obtain possession of her children, she having separated from her husband because of drunkenness and cruelty. McLean accused Elder Pratt of alienating the affections of his wife and attempting to abduct the children. A trial was held, and Elder Pratt was acquitted of the charge. Shortly afterwards, as he was journeying from Van Buren County where the court was held, intending to join an immigrant company for Utah, he was overtaken by McLean who plunged a bowie knife in his side. After Elder Pratt had fallen from his horse, McLean shot him with a pistol. The assassin was never punished for the foul deed. In this manner died one of the greatest expounders of the latter-day faith, a poet and writer, whose works survive and have done much to bring many to a knowledge of the Gospel. Although their author’s voice has long been stilled, his work yet speaks with convincing power.